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Testimony of Betty McGill: Mormonism Could Not Save Me

I write this for one reason and no other – and that is to tell you just what my experience has been. May I say that mine is not an unusual or isolated experience, but it has been the experience of millions who have trusted Christ for their salvation, and who believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

I was born into a Mormon family. My parents, grandparents on both sides, and all my relatives as far back as I have a record were ardent and devoted Mormons. I was raised on the teachings of Mormonism. My mother was a primary teacher, and on Saturdays my sister and I had a practically unbroken Primary attendance record. I was baptized at the age of 8 years in the Mormon Church and I knew the Articles of Faith of the Mormon Church by heart at an early age. I had a thorough foundation in Mormon teachings. Indeed, it was all I knew of religion of any sort.

So all during this time—my childhood, my teens, even when I married and became the mother of three children, I continued in the belief that the Mormon Church was “the true church of Christ,” and if I considered my personal state before God at all, I reasoned it away with a the fact that I was a Mormon, and so everything was taken care of. I had only a vague idea of a “hereafter,” and at best, I wasn’t particularly concerned.

NEVER, in all this time, did I know what the Bible had to say on the matter, and it wasn’t until I was 26 years old that I came to a knowledge of the truth and the Lord saved me! Praise His Holy name! I have never stopped thanking Him for the salvation I know is mine now, and for the knowledge of His living presence day by day. I was saved solely and completely by the fact that I read God’s Word, the Bible; I believed what it said, and I accepted God’s plan. The Bible told me I was a sinner in the eyes of God—”For ALL have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” –Romans 3:23. If I was a sinner then sin had a penalty —”For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord”—Romans 6:23. If the penalty for sin was “death,” or eternal separation from God, or Hell, as the Bible teaches, then I was hopelessly lost without hope of an eternity in the presence of God, I could not “work” my way to Heaven, or depend upon the fact that if I did my best, that would be enough. NOT AT ALL – much as I would have liked to believe it! The Bible further said, “NOT by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…” –Titus 3:5

If this were all true, then what way out was there for me? Praise God that in His mercy and His love for us, He sent His own Son to pay the penalty for sin. “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” –Romans 5:8. Was this enough then? The price had been paid for sin, but God’s Word told me that I had a part to play. God had given us the gift of eternal life through His Son, complete forgiveness and fellowship with Him, but I found that in order to possess a gift, one must receive it. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on HIS name” — John 1:12; and, “He that HATH the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life—1 John 5:12. From the day when the truth of God’s Word penetrated my very being, I have trusted Christ alone for my salvation, and I have known a peace and joy and a love of God and my fellowman that I never thought possible. “…and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” –Galatians 2:20.

I must say that I really tried for some time to reconcile the truth of God’s Word to the teaching of the Mormon Church, but I found it impossible. “Neither is there salvation in ANY OTHER: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” –Acts 4:12. Not an organization, a system of belief, baptism, a ritual—none of these are able to save. Only CHRIST Himself; only by trusting Him alone is this possible.

Do you believe it? Think for a moment about your relationship to Christ. Do you know Him? Do you have Him as your own Savior? Don’t treat these questions lightly, my friend. You must answer them sometime, either now or when you stand before the Judgement of God. Your answer will settle your condition for all Eternity. TRUST HIM “whom to know is LIFE ETERNAL.”

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